For the latest in our editorial dinner series, hosted by Signature Appliances, guests came together at the La Cornue showroom in Surry Hills for an intimate discussion on the intersections between European and Australian design.
The evening brought together Will Fung of CO-AP, Fiona Bruzzano of Fe Design Interiors, Jemima Retallack of Retallack Thompson, Eva-Marie Prineas of Studio Prineas, Gabrielle Pelletier of Sam Crawford Architects, Bradhly Le of RIZEN, Jo Lawless of Lawless & Meyerson, Angela Chang of Ambit Curator, Tomek Archer of Archer Office and Victor Alcami of Alcami Architecture, alongside representatives from Signature Appliances and Bing Lee.
The topic offered plenty to discuss, from the influence of European craft and tradition to the way Australian climate, informality and ways of living reshape those ideas locally. But as much as the conversation itself mattered, so did the format.
Rather than positioning European and Australian design as opposing traditions, the discussion explored what happens when ideas move between them. European traditions of craft, permanence and provenance inevitably take on new qualities when translated through an Australian climate and a more informal way of living.
In an industry full of launches, presentations and large-scale events, there is increasing value in smaller gatherings where people have the time to speak properly. Around one table, conversation becomes less performative and more useful, allowing ideas to develop naturally and connections to form beyond the usual quick introductions. There is also room for disagreement, tangents and unfinished ideas – often the parts of a conversation that prove more interesting than a polished conclusion.
The La Cornue showroom provided an apt setting, bringing a distinctly European design language into an Australian context while reinforcing the evening’s broader theme of exchange.
Related: Sydney Contemporary returns to Carriageworks for tenth edition
That sense of exchange is also what gives the editorial dinner series its value. Rather than trying to arrive at a definitive answer, the dinners create space for architects, designers and industry figures to compare perspectives, question familiar assumptions and spend time in conversation with people they may not otherwise meet.
Hosted by Signature Appliances, this latest gathering was a reminder that some of the most worthwhile design discussions happen away from the stage and around the table.
